Ridel High

Ridel High
OriginLos Angeles, California, U.S.
GenresPower pop[1]
Years active
  • 1995–1999
  • 2013–present
LabelsA&M Records (1998)
My Records (1997)
Members
Past membersSteve LeRoy
WebsiteOfficial Facebook Page

Ridel High are a mid 1990s American power pop band formed in Los Angeles by lead singer and songwriter Kevin Ridel. Ridel was the lead singer for Avant Garde, which featured Rivers Cuomo of Weezer.

Ridel High was named in tribute to both Ridel and the school featured in the movie Grease. The band were a part of the 1990s LA scene, playing with such bands as That Dog, Chopper One, Supersport 2000, Size 14, Summercamp, and Silver Jet.

The band formed in 1995 from the remnants of Ridel's former band Lunchbox. Lunchbox songs such as "Winona Ryder"[2] and "As If The Sky Were On Fire" went on to become Ridel High songs. Ridel High's first album was Hi-Scores, which was produced by Lagwagon singer Joey Cape and released by independent label My Records in 1997.

In 1998, Ridel High signed to major label A&M Records,[3] who reissued and retitled Hi-Scores as Emotional Rollercoaster.[4][5][6] The album's only single was "Self Destructive," whose music video was directed by Devo member Gerald Casale.[7] Coincidentally, Ridel High covered the Devo song "Blockhead" for the 1997 tribute album We are Not Devo.[8]

After the band split in 1999, they self released Recycle Bin, which featured previously unreleased songs and songs that were recorded for their third album. Some of these songs such as "Winona Ryder"[2] and "As If The Sky Were On Fire" had started out as Lunchbox songs, the band Kevin Ridel started before Ridel High were formed.

  1. ^ Klinge, Steve (July 1998). "Reviews > Ridel High – Emotional Rollercoaster". CMJ New Music Monthly (59): 58. ISSN 1074-6978.
  2. ^ a b "Lunchbox version of Winona ryder". soundcloud.com. soundcloud.
  3. ^ "Ridel High on A&M Records". www.onamrecords.com.
  4. ^ "Emotional Rollercaster entry on allmusic.com". allmusic.com.
  5. ^ "Emotional Rollercoaster Review". powerpopacademy.
  6. ^ "Emotional Rollercoaster review". laweekly.com.
  7. ^ Gerald V Casale directed Ridel High's Self Destructive. Billboard. 27 June 1998.
  8. ^ "Blockhead by Ridel High". secondhandsongs.com. secondhandsongs.